Picked-up a......

[Ray]

holster worn and freckled Smith & Wesson .32 w.c.f. hand ejector. Serial number shows it is a few thousand before the heat-treated cylinder and barrel caliber marking change....probably 1918 - 1919.

Probably gave too much for it.....$400 total but it was just sitting there in the display case as ignored as chuck brown's christmas tree. Clerk said it has not been handled by a customer in nigh-on a year.

All it needs is a little love....and ballistol and a copper penny rub down.

[2ndovc]

Cool! My favorite WCF cartridge!!

jb

[claybob86]

Sounds nice, I like the old Smiths. Now where's the pictures?

[Pete44ru]

Clerk said it has not been handled by a customer in nigh-on a year.

In my book, that right there's a $100 discount...………..


.

[Bill in Oregon]

Ray, we'll need befores and afters on your new baby!

[Pitchy]

Cool, looking forward to seeing it.

[Ray]

Searching the various gunboards for information on this model gives me the impression that i gave too much for it but i am happy.

A mechanically sound hundred year-old S & W for $400 seems like a bargain.

I called the gunshop to ask if they knew anything of the gun's history. It was the night watchman's carry-gun of the owner's grandfather and the clerk's (owner's son) great grandfather! Color me nostalgic, but I don't think I would part with an object of such filial provenance for so little green.

I actually remember the old gentleman. He was a contract night watchman for several businesses on the decaying business strip on north noble street across from edgewood cemetery. A widower he lodged on the premises of a furniture store that he protected. In his dotage, he could be irrationally aggressive and had that gun taken from him by a city cop. I remember the story because he was a neighbor of my maternal grandparents, the furniture store being just across the back-alley of their home on gurnee ave.

Small world.

[Bill in Oregon]

Pretty swell provenance, Ray. I think you were meant to have that Smith.

[Ray]

Pretty swell provenance, Ray. I think you were meant to have that Smith.

Have heard of addicts selling such an item but cannot imagine the successful owner of a lucrative gunshop with a 500+ gun inventory selling his granddad's revolver.

[AJMD429]

"Serial number shows it is a few thousand before the heat-treated cylinder and barrel caliber marking change....probably 1918 - 1919."

Tell me more about that stuff....what changes were made and when...?

[Ray]

"Serial number shows it is a few thousand before the heat-treated cylinder and barrel caliber marking change....probably 1918 - 1919."

Tell me more about that stuff....what changes were made and when...?

hopefully the real collectors like honest jack will enlight us but from other boards they started in 1905 and there were 5 distinct changes before the "k" frame designation. The cylinders were heat-treated in 1919-1920. Early five and six inch barrels were marked .32 Winchester CTG. Four inch were marked .32 W.C.F. CTG. Fourth and fifth changes after the heat treat cylinders were marked Win. 32-20 ctg on the 4" and same but with cartridge spelled-out on the longer barrels. The rarities come in with caliber markings different from the norm.

[Ray]

I think perhaps all of my 32-20 ammo on hand may be loaded hot for the t/c and ruger and i am not taking any chances.

When it quits raining I plan to shoot some .32 longs with the cases fattened-up with scotch tape to take up the windage in the chamber. All depends it the firing pin protrudes through the frame enough.

[Ray]

Added a S & W 10-5 to the humble collection that numbers to about 1973.....2" round-butt.

The world has gotten so proud of their S & Ws that N frames with a decent finish are way out of my range.

But J & K frames and older hand-ejector models can still be found in the $200 to $400 range. Beware of the model 19s that rattle when handled. Grey rats are often mechanically sound and relatively rust-free on the insides.